Removing Eastern States Wattles

Weedy wattles from the Eastern States can replace our native plants and increase bushfire risk.

This information sheet has been created to encourage local residents to remove Eastern States weedy wattles (acacia species) on their property and to assist them with identifying weedy wattles.

The Shire’s Fire Protection Officers, Landcare Team, Tree Maintenance Crew and Weed Control Crew are regularly removing weedy wattles and other weeds on Shire reserves and verges. To make sure the weedy wattles don’t come back, we also need residents to jump on board and take action by removing them on their properties. Let’s eradicate these weeds altogether.

Why should we remove weedy wattles?  Wattles are fast growing shrubs and trees which rapidly outcompete local native plants for water, light and nutrients

 When they spread into bushland they disrupt local ecosystems and affect habitat for native animals

 They produce thousands of seeds per mature plant each year. We do not have enough local seed-eating insects in WA to naturally manage the wattle numbers (unlike in the Eastern States)

 They increase fuel loads and are highly flammable

 Fire promotes faster germination of their seeds

 They are nitrogen-fixing plants which gives them an advantage in invading disturbed and bare areas, Shire’s Fire Hazard Inspection such as after a bushfire. Officer standing in front of Flinders Range Wattle (Acacia iteaphylla) When is the best time to remove weedy wattles? NOW – all year round (especially if you see younger plants) but care should be taken not to spread the seeds. Autumn and winter are the best seasons to remove weedy wattles, since they usually do not have seed on them and there is less risk of spreading the seed around. See the back page for how to remove and dispose of them.

Common Weedy Wattles.

Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha) Australia's floral emblem. A loosely branched shrub or tree 3- 8m high with dark brown to grey smooth bark and dark green foliage. Adult leaves are called phyllodes. Juvenile leaves are bipinnate (leaflets themselves divided into smaller leaflets). Flowers: August to October. Native to: Eastern Australia Flinders Range Wattle (Acacia iteaphylla) A dense, hairless shrub 2-5m high with smooth, greenish bark, weeping branches and grey- green foliage. Adult leaves are called phyllodes. Flowers: April to September. Native to: South Australia

Sydney Golden Wattle (Acacia longifolia) A shrub or small tree to 1.5-10m high with dark grey, finely fissured bark and green foliage. Looks similar to local native Acacia saligna wattle however Sydney wattle has parallel veins in leaves whereas saligna has angled veins. Flowers: July to September Native to: NSW & Victoria Cootamundra Wattle (Acacia baileyana) A bushy shrub or small tree, 3- 10m high with smooth grey to brown bark and silvery to blue- grey foliage. Adult leaves are bipinnate (leaflets themselves divided into smaller leaflets). Flowers: June to September Native to: NSW

If you need more information or assistance to identify wattles contact: Shire’s Environmental Service - 9290 6651 Common Weedy Wattles

Early Black Wattle (Acacia decurrens) An erect, shrub or small tree to 10m high with black or brown often fissured bark and dark green foliage. Adult leaves are bipinnate (leaflets themselves divided into smaller leaflets). Flowers: July to October Native to: NSW

Queensland silver wattle (Acacia podalyriifolia) A bushy shrub or small tree 2-7m high with grey smooth to finely fissured bark, branchlets which are white and usually velvety- hairy and silvery foliage. Adult leaves are called phyllodes. Flowers: May to July Native to: NSW & QLD

Silver wattle (Acacia dealbata) A large shrub or small tree, 4-10m high with silvery, minutely hairy upper branchlets and grey to brown smooth bark that may become rough with age. The leaves are bipinnate (leaflets themselves divided into smaller leaflets) and are blue-grey to silvery and have tiny hairs. Flowers: July to November Native to: NSW, Vic & Tas Gossamer wattle (Acacia floribunda) Tree or shrub, 3-8m high with green leaves. Adult leaves are called phyllodes and are thin and mostly pliable. Flowers: Aug to Oct Native to: NSW, QLD & Vic

(Some wattle photos sourced from www.agric.wa.gov.au/myweedwatcher with permission)

If you need more information or assistance to identify wattles contact: Shire’s Environmental Service - 9290 6651 How do I remove and manage weedy wattles? Small seedlings can be hand pulled or dug out of the ground.

Mature plants should be cut off close to the ground using secateurs, loppers, garden saw, chainsaw or axe (depending on the thickness of the base of the trunk). Then immediately paint herbicide (such as 50% glyphosate solution) on the exposed surface of the stump to kill the trunk and root system.

If in doubt, don’t pull it out – instead contact the Shire’s Environmental Service team on 9290 6651 for assistance with identifying if the plant is a native or a weed.

Where do I dispose of woody weed material? Shire’s Landcare Officer hand-pulling Sydney Golden Wattle weed (Acacia Depending on the size of your property, time of year and longifolia) from reserve. the amount of weedy material you wish to dispose of the following options are available:  Take the material to the Shire’s Waste Transfer Stations (Coppin Road Mundaring or Mathieson Road Chidlow) using your resident entry pass. Please ensure the seed does not spread when transferring the material. Use a tarp or bags to transfer the material if weed seed is present.  You may choose to burn the disposed weed material with the rest of your garden refuse, depending on the time of year and current burning period. Refer to the Shire website and Fire & Burning Information Booklet for more information. Make sure the dead weed material is dry (and no longer green) before burning. Keep the size of the piles manageable and well clear of any other vegetation due to the high flammability of wattle material.  Chip or mulch the material - but only if there is no seed on the plants.

Local Native Wattles Not all wattles are weeds! Refer to the following free resources to help identify local native wattle or ‘acacia’ plants. These booklets are available from the Shire website (Environmental Services section) or printed copies can be picked up from the Administration Building. The libraries will often have some copies available too. Where practical, we encourage you to plant local native plants in place of the removed weeds.  Darlington & Surrounds Local Flora & Bushlands (Cliff & Sharron Burns) – Link  Shire’s Landscape & Revegetation Guidelines - Link

Other Weeds This information sheet only focuses on weedy wattle species. Please refer to the Shire’s Plants out of Place Weeds booklet for information on other common weeds in the Shire and recommended removal methods. Printed versions of this free booklet are available from the Shire Administration Building, or you can find it within the Environmental Services section of the Shire website at www.mundaring.wa.gov.au.